With the economic globalization, companies have been
facing a new business scene, being forced to adapt to
new rules and establishing new criteria, which allows
them to attract and maintain investors and partners.
Amidst this revolution, they were forced to develop
strategies that would guarantee a distinguished and
secure position within the market.

Many actions have been shaped as a consequence of
the strong world-wide tendency of investors to seek
companies that can be seen to be socially conscious,
sustainable and profitable. This is because the current
scenario shows that companies deemed sustainable, in
the long term, generate greater profits for their shareholders,
as they are better equipped to face financial,
social and environmental risks.

In response to these tendencies, the “BOVESPA” (Sao
Paulo?s Stock exchange), together with the
“ABRAPP” (Brazilian Association of the Private Entities
of Supplementary Retirement Fund), “ANBID” (National
Association of the Investment Banks),”
“APIMEC” (Association of Analysts and Professionals
Investment of the Capital Market), “IBGC” (Brazilian
Institute of Corporate Governance),
“IFC” (International Finance Corporation), the Ethos
Institute, and the Environment Department, created an
action index, which constitutes a reference to investors
regarded to be socially conscious. This index was
denominated “ISE” (Corporate Index of Sustainability)
and represents the return of a portfolio composed of
certain companies that have assumed a commitment to
social consciousness and corporate sustainability, besides
promoting good practices in the Brazilian corporate
sector. This is an investment procedure, which
combines the analysis of environmental, social, economic
and corporate governance issues, with traditional
financial analysis.

In recent decades, Brazil has distinguished itself for its
discourse on social action and the intensifying of this
discourse in several social arenas pertaining to the business sector and social consciousness. In fact, Brazil
was one of the few countries that created a national
rule regarding social consciousness, Rule NBR 16001,
established in December of 2004 by the
“ABNT” (Brazilian Association of Technical Regulations).
And it is with this effort that the Country intends
to surpass all barriers and advance its industry in
the foreign market.